TAREE Motor Cycle Club has settled on a date for the running of the Australian Senior Track Titles to be held at the Old Bar Roadside Circuit this year.
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And the club has also secured a major sponsor for the two day event.
The championships will be decided on Saturday-Sunday August 29-30, with Troy Bayliss Events the principal backer.
Club president Craig Nelson said negotiations finalised with Bayliss this week.
Bayliss is expected to return to Taree to contest the event.
"He'll be trying to win some of his own money,'' Mr Nelson smiled.
"But hats off to Troy and (wife) Kim. They've been great supporters of our club.''
Last year the club successfully hosted the Australian Dirt Track Titles, where Bayliss won three events. This was the first time in his stellar career that he'd won a national title.
Mr Nelson said the dirt track championship attracted a crowd of around 2000 for the two days and he'd expect a similar turnout next August. Between 100 and 150 riders will be involved.
"It's good for the town because it will bring people here for two days,'' he said.
The club will use the oval track at the Old Bar Roadside complex - the same that's used for the Americana at the annual Bayliss Classic held in January.
The club had been in negotiation with the sport's controlling body over the timing of the national championships. Mr Nelson had explained previously that the event is usually held in November, however, this didn't suit his committee as it was believed to be too close to the Bayliss Classic run in January.
Meanwhile the club expects to start work on the $100,000 refurbishment of the track-proper in early September.
"We won't be doing the work during winter because it's usually too wet,'' Mr Nelson explained.
The club received a State government grant to finance the work.
Mr Nelson said the actual work will only takle two to three weeks given good weather.
"Once it's finished we'll look to get as much traffic on the track as we can,'' Mr Nelson explained.
"This will make it nice and hard. We'll be organising a couple of club days as well as practice days.''
He said the track will be in peak condition for the staging of the Bayliss Classic.
The project will also include an upgrade of the PA system.
"We had troubles with it at the last Bayliss Classic,'' Mr Nelson recalled.
"Basically it overheated. But everything will be right there next January.''
